Become Your Own Cigar Expert! Like Cigars? Get ready for a hilarious and thoroughly informative guide to everything you want to know about the hobby...sit back and watch the pages fly!

The Cigar Companion is the perfect study-side guide to unlocking the delicate intricacies and delicious undertones of handmade cigars—including the history of cigars, a buyer's guide, and profiles of 70 current top brands of quality cigars complemented by full-color photographs. Much more sophisticated than their slimmer, machine-made counterparts, a good cigar offers a certain levity and celebration. Often compared with fine wine, the way that good cigar products are made and the quality of the ingredients are reflected in the flavor of the final product. The rich history of enjoying cigars has seen many changes, yet hand rolling remains a valued practice among cigar aficionados—there are just some things that machines cannot copy. The time-treasured practice of harvesting, drying, and curing the leaveshas a deep traditional background and has shown innovative developments that offer new experiences to cigar smokers. There are many different ways to make cigars, and even more ways to discern its quality once it is in the hands of the consumer. If you're curious about any aspect of cigar culture, The Cigar Companion covers: The origin story of cigars A cigar directory of fan favorites Best practices for buying cigars Storage techniques for maximum preservation Directory of reputable cigar merchants to get you started A comprehensive directory of every brand of cigar, this book lists all the major brands, such as Havana and Dominican, as well as many lesser-known brands. Information on origin, smoking qualities, flavor and aroma, and buying and storing fine cigars is included. Consider The Cigar Companion your invitation into the fascinating world of cigars.

Acclaimed author Evan S. Connell sends us through the complete experience of a man initially intrigued and then enslaved by art: a curious interest, a rapt fixation, and the becoming of a connoisseur. The Connoisseur trails the evolution of Muhlbach, an insurance executive on a business trip in Taos, New Mexico, who develops an obsession with pre–Columbian figurines after meandering through a curio shop. Entranced yet bewildered by his sudden affinity for a little figurine, Muhlbach succumbs to his intrigue and, thirty dollars later, begins his journey as a connoisseur. With superb delivery and subtle clarity, Connell allows us to see and feel Muhlbach's emerging mania, with its impending tension and sudden exhilaration. He illustrates how a new fixation alters our lens on life and shapes our actions.